Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Wednesday, 27 July 2022

BBC News

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Mayor wants more government help on planThe mayor of South Yorkshire has called on the government to change its "short-sighted hands-off" approach to helping secure the future of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
• Aer Lingus wants early passenger arrivals scrappedAer Lingus wants Dublin Airport early arrival advice scrapped
• London Underground: RMT announces fifth 24-hour strike this yearWorkers are set to take action on 19 August as part of a row over jobs and conditions.
• Heathrow hits back at 'bizarre' Ryanair criticismThe boss of the UK's largest airport says Ryanair is wrong to blame airports for travel disruption.
• Train strikes: Disruption expected with latest rail walkoutsTens of thousands of rail workers are walking out in a dispute over pay, jobs and terms.
• Latest Network Rail strikes to affect services in ScotlandThe walkout by Network Rail staff and 14 train operating companies is part of a row over pay and jobs.

Financial Times

• Aviation sector needs to give up the blame game To avoid future disruption, the industry and passengers will have to pay the true cost of flying
• Heathrow airport warns it could extend cap on flightsChief executive says daily limit needed to ease pressure and blames airlines for not hiring ground staff fast enough
• Nationwide rail strike set to shut down much of UK network Only about a fifth of passenger services will run because of dispute over job security, working conditions and pay

The Guardian

• Passengers faking need for wheelchair to skip queues, Heathrow boss claimsAirline passengers are skipping queues at Heathrow by pretending to need wheelchairs after watching a video showing this on TikTok, the airport’s boss has said.
• UK railways disrupted again as workers strike over pay and conditionsThe railways will again grind to a halt on Wednesday as workers strike over pay, job security and working conditions.

The Independent

• BLACK SUITCASES BLAMED FOR AIRPORT BAGGAGE CHAOS IN GERMANYHolidaymakers in Germany have been advised to avoid travelling with black suitcases.
• Government’s rail cuts ‘letting down North and Midlands’ as MPs urge rethinkMPs have urged the government to reconsider its cuts to rail projects across the north and midlands – warning that ministers are "letting down" the regions.

The Telegraph

• Train strikes latest: Commuters brace for more rail chaos as people told 'don't travel' [subscription]Rail commuters are bracing for fresh travel chaos today as thousands of workers walk out on strike, crippling services across the country.

Times Online

• Air pollution link to dementia is officially backed [subscription]Air pollution is a “likely” cause of dementia, government advisers have said after a landmark study supported the theory.
• Rail strikes could drag on for a year, warns RMT boss Mick Lynch [subscription]Britain wakes up to its fourth day of nationwide rail strikes this morning, with just a fifth of the usual services expected to run.

Transport Committee

• Transport Committee: Government must revisit decisions on Integrated Rail PlanA thorough reassessment of the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan is essential to ensure this once-in-a-generation investment in rail is not a missed opportunity to address regional imbalances, urges the Transport Committee.

Sky News

• Rail strikes: Disruptions for travellers – with only one in five trains likely to runThe latest on rail strikes as 40,000 rail workers are taking a stand after talks failed to resolve a dispute over pay, jobs, and conditions; Only around one in five trains will run on Wednesday, on around half the network, with some areas having no trains all day.

Birmingham Post

• West Midlands Railway to have no trains for Commonwealth Games marathonStrike action means rail company which operates key services into and across Birmingham will be running no trains on day when thousands of sports fans are expected to line the streets
• Liverpool mayor tells bus company Arriva to 'put people before profit' as strikes continueArriva North West provides two thirds of the bus services which operate in Liverpool

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Arriva bus strike ends with new improved pay offerA long running pay dispute against Arriva has ended with a “vastly improved pay offerâ€� for bus workers across Yorkshire.
• MPs urge Government to re-think scrapped plan for Bradford stationAN influential group of MPs has recommended that Government re-think its decision to scrap Northern Powerhouse Rail and the new Bradford station it would bring.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Three 'lifeline' Edinburgh bus services to be axed due to driver shortageFirst Buses' decision to discontinue the 20, 63 and 68 from the end of next month will have a "devastating impact," the council's transport boss said.

London Evening Standard

• Rail plans for North should be reconsidered to avoid missed opportunity, say MPsThe Government sparked anger in November 2021 when it published the Integrated Rail Plan.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Ember looks to spark up Inverness electric bus services and create 25 jobsElectric bus operator Ember has unveiled plans to create a “hub” in Inverness for new services to and from the Highland capital.

Other Regional Press

• PUBLIC INVITED TO HAVE SAY ON IMPENDING BUS CUTSMetro mayor Dan Norris is urging residents to have their say ahead of more bus cuts this autumn.
• Government rail plan for the North does not deliver on 'stated aims' of levelling upGrant Shapps' rail plan for the North does not deliver on the "promises made" to the region at the 2019 election or the "stated aims" of the levelling up agenda, an influential Commons committee has said.
• MPs slam scrapping of Bradford new station plan and say government must rethinkThere's a risk of squandering Bradford's potential if transport links aren't improved

New Civil Engineer

• Extensive renovation work enables rare Victorian footbridge to be reinstalled on Scottish viaductTeviot footbridge has been reinstalled on the Roxburgh Viaduct in the Scottish Borders having been removed and restored over the last 18 months.
• Adopting flexible working practices on site has no impact delivering projects on time and on budgetContractors that implement flexible and hybrid working patterns on site have seen no impact on project cost and programme, according to the results of a long term study into changing working practices in the construction sector. However, firms taking the new approach have recorded significant improvements in staff retention and workforce wellbeing, suggesting that wider industry adoption of the working practices could play a key role in solving the industry’s skills crisis.

Rail Business Daily

• Government must revisit decisions on Integrated Rail Plan, says Transport CommitteeThe House of Commons Transport Committee has said a thorough reassessment of the government’s Integrated Rail Plan is essential to ensure this once-in-a-generation investment in rail is not a missed opportunity to address regional imbalances.

Other News Sources

• EasyJet takes £133 million hit from recent airport chaosChief executive says summer operations are now “much improved” compared to recent months
• Basingstoke residents angry over proposed changes to bus serviceBASINGSTOKE residents have voiced their concerns over proposed changes to bus services that could take away free bus passes.
• Gatwick Airport bus drivers secure 21.5% pay increaseBus drivers employed by ABM at Gatwick Airport have achieved an inflation beating 21.5 per cent pay increase.
• Opposing proposed bus cuts in LondonThe Leader of the Council, Cllr Adam Hug, has written to Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps MP regarding the proposed bus cuts from TfL.
• HS2 wins High Court battle over Buckinghamshire lorry routesA local authority has lost its battle to stop lorries using certain roads to service the High Speed 2 (HS2) construction sites.
• Drag queens record special train announcements for Brighton PrideTWO drag queens have been enlisted by a train company to “add pizzazzâ€� to travel messages ahead of Brighton and Hove Pride celebrations.
• Consultation for Gatwick north runway ends tonightPEOPLE are urged to have their say on the last day of consultation over a second runway at Gatwick.